Air cleaner and silencer assembly



May 27, 1941. a. G. BROWN 2,243,083

AIR CLEANER AND SILENCER ASSEMBLY Filed Oct. 21, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 27,1941. a ROWN 2,243,083

AIR CLEANER AND SILENCER ASSEMBLY Filed Oct. 21, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 6'8 82 '0 6'5 i l \m V .58

fifgjamajafz [5200) 27, B. G. BROWN 2,243,083

AIR CLEANER AND SILENCER ASSEMBLY Filed 00%. 21, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 W2 A 95 .9/ .95 H! 1 f0 55 l 1 5g .55 95 Patented May 27, 1941 2,243,083 AIR CLEANER AND SILENCER ASSEIWBLY Benjamin Gratz Brown, Flint, Mich., assig'nor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a

corporation of Delaware Application October 21, 1936, Serial No. 106,710

1 Claim.

This invention has to do with air cleaner and silencer assemblies.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a carburetor air cleaner and intake silencer assembly which may be installed on an internal combustion engine equipped with a downdraft carburetor which is so disposed that space is available alongside but not above the carburetor.

For a better understanding of the nature and objects of this invention, reference is made to the following specifications wherein there are described the preferred embodiments of the invention which are shown in the accompanying drawings.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a view, partly in longitudinal section and partly in side elevation, of an air cleaner and silencer assembly in accordance with my invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view taken as indicated by the line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a View, similar to Figure l, of another air cleaner and silencer assembly in accordance with my invention;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view taken as indicated by the line 44 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a view, similar to Figures 1 and 3, of still another air cleaner and silencer assembly in which my invention is embodied;

Figure 6 is a longitudinal section through the upper portion of a modified form of the air cleaner and silencer assembly shown in Figures 3 and 4;

Figure '7 is a view, partly in longitudinal section and partly in side elevation, of the upper portion of a modified form of the air cleaner and silencer assembly shown in Figure 5;

Figure 8 is a view taken as indicated by the line 8-8 of Figure 7.

The air cleaner and silencer assembly which is shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings consists of an air cleaner I and a silencer II which constitutes a cover for the air cleaner.

The air cleaner I0 consists of an annular receptacular body l2 which is filled with oil or some other suitable liquid to about the level of the ledge I3 before the assembly is put into use and an annular filter element l4. The body I2 is made up of a generally cup-shaped member l and a tube l6 which extends through and is secured in a central orifice in the bottom of the cup-shaped member. The lower end of the tube is closed by a head [1 in which there is secured an internally threaded stud [8.

The filter element l4 consists of a hollow annulus [9 which is filled with a suitable filter medium 20, such as that disclosed in the Webb application Serial No. 98,556 which was filed on August 29, 1936, wetted with the same liquid as that which the body I2 contains. The inner and outer cylindrical walls of the annulus 19 are imperforate but the lower and upper walls thereof have in them rings of orifices 2| and 22 separated by narrow bars. The filter element is disposed within the annular body I2 with its inner cylindrical wall encircling the tube I6 and its outer cylindrical wall encircled and separated from the side wall of the cup-shaped member by an annular aperture 23. The filter element is supported within the body l2 with its lower outer edge disposed somewhat above the liquid level therein and its upper end extending above the upper end thereof by an annular element 24 which is secured to its inner cylindrical wall and rests on the upper end of the tube IS.

The silencer ll includes a cylindrical shell 25, approximately equal in diameter to the cupshaped member [5, with a concave head 26 secured over its lower end and a cover 21 shaped like an inverted cup secured over its upper end through an annular flange on its open end. In the side wall of the cover 21, there is an orifice encircled by a collar 28 in which there is clamped the inner end of a cast outlet fitting 29 with an orifice in its lower face which is encircled by a split collar 30 which is encircled by a ring clamp 3|. To the flange on the open end of the cover 21, there is joined the outer edge of a disk 32 which is faced with a pad 33 of sound absorbing material, such as felt, and with the rim of the cover 21 constitutes the upper head of the shell 25.

Through the head 26 extends a central orifice and through the disk 32 a central orifice of considerably larger diameter. In the central orifice in the head 26, there is secured a tube 34 which extends upwardly through the central orifice in the disk 32 into the cover 21. In the central orifice in the disk 32, there is secured a tube 35 which encircles and is separated from the tube 34 by an annular aperture 36. The tube 35 extends upwardly beyond the tube 34 and its lower end terminates above the head 26 a distance approximately equal to the width of the annular aperture 36. The compartment defined by the shell 25, its lower and upper heads and the tubes 34 and 35 is divided into chambers 31 and 38 by a partition 39 whose outer margin is secured in the joint between the cover 21 and the shell 25 and whose inner edge is joined to the tube 35. The chamber 31 communicates with the duct de fined by the tubes 34 and 35 through the annular aperture 36 and the chamber 38 with the chamber 31 through a tube 46 which is secured in an orifice in the partition 39.

The air cleaner l0 and the silencer II are assembled with the outer margin of the lower head of the latter seated on the upper edge of the outer cylindrical wall of the filter element M of the former through the intermediary of a sealing gasket 4| which is disposed in an annular channel in the lower head of the silencer so that the axes of the air cleaner and the silencer are alined. The air cleaner and the silencer are secured together by a thumbscrew 42 which is threaded into the stud l8 with its head seated on the outer side of the end wall of the cover 21.

The air cleaner and silencer assembly shown in Figures 3 and 4 consists of an air cleaner H) which is identical with the air cleaner of the assembly shown in Figures 1 and 2, a silencer 45 which constitutes a cover for the air cleaner and an outlet fitting 46 which constitutes a cover for the silencer. To render unnecessary a repetition of the description of the air cleaner 0, the reference characters employed in the previous description of it have been applied to it in Figure 3.

The silencer 45 of the assembly shown in Figures 3 and 4 includes a cylindrical shell 41, ap-

proximately equal in diameter to the cup-shaped member l5 of the body of the air cleaner ID, with a concave head 48 secured over its lower end and a convex head 49 secured over its upper end. Through the head 48 extends a central orifice and through the head 49 a central orifice of considerably larger diameter. In the central orifice in the head 48, there is secured a tube 50 which extends upwardly toward but terminates short of the orifice in the head 49. In the central orifice in the head 49, there is secured a tube 5| which extends downwardly toward but terminates short of the head 48 and encircles and is separated from the tube 50 by an annular aperture 52.

The compartment defined by the shell 41, its L heads 48 and 49 and the tubes 56 and 5| is divided into chambers 53 and 54 by a partition 55 whose outer margin is secured in the joint between the head 49 and the shell 41 and whose inner edge is joined to the tube 5|. municates with the duct defined by the tubes 50 and 5| through the annular aperture 52 and the chamber 54 with the chamber 53 through a tube 56 which is secured in an orifice in the partition 55.

The outlet fitting 46 is a one-piece casting. It consists of a body shaped generally like an inverted shallow cup with a fiattish hollow lateral extension 51. In the lower wall of the extension, there is an orifice encircled by a split collar 58 which is encircled by a ring clamp 59.

The air cleaner H], the silencer 45 and the outlet fitting 46 are assembled with the outer margin of the lower head of the silencer seated on the upper edge of the outer cylindrical wall of the filter element M of the air cleaner and the lower edge of the side wall of the body of the outlet fitting seated on the outer margin of the upper head of the silencer so that the axes of the air cleaner, the silencer and the body of the outlet fitting are alined. To keep the air cleaner, the silencer and the body of the outlet fitting axially alined, annular channels in which there are disposed sealing gaskets 4| and 60 and into which the upper edge of the outer cylindrical The chamber 53 com- I wall of the filter element of the air cleaner and the lower edge of the side wall of the body of the outlet fitting, respectively, extend are formed in the lower and upper heads of the silencer. The air cleaner, the silencer, and the outlet fitting are held together by a thumbscrew 42 which is threaded into the stud |8 with its head seated on the outer side of the end wall of the body of the outlet fitting.

The air cleaner and silencer assembly which is shown in Figure 5 consists of a silencer 65, a filter element 66 and an outlet fitting 46 which constitutes a cover for the silencer. The outlet fitting 46 is identical with the outlet fitting 46 which is shown in Figures 3 and 4. and so that it will not be necessary to repeat the description of it the reference characters employed in the previous description of it have been applied to it in Figure 5.

The silencer includes a cylindrical shell 61 with a convex head 68 secured over its upper end and a cup-shaped member 69 with a number of rectangular orifices 10 in its side wall secured over its lower end. The end wall of the cupshaped member is convex. All of it except a comparatively narrow annular portion which adjoins the side wall of the cup-shaped member is stepped inwardly to form a circular recess 1| in which there is seated a pad 12 of felt or some other suitable sound absorbing material. The pad of sound absorbing material is held in place in the recess 1| by a cap 13 in which there is secured an internally threaded stud 14 which projects through a central orifice in the end Wall of the cup-shaped member. All of the inwardly stepped portion of the end wall of the cup-shaped member except a spider-like skeleton 15 against which the pad of sound absorbing material rests is cut away to expose the latter.

In the joint between the cup-shaped member 69 and the shell 61, there is secured the outer margin of the brim of a member 16. The member 16 resembles an inverted hat with a brim which is stepped upwardly, inclined downwardly and then stepped upwardly again and constitutes the lower head of the shell 61. Through the top of the crown of the member 16 which extends into but terminates short of the end wall of the cup-shaped member 69, there extends a central orifice. Through the head 68, there extends a central orifice of considerably larger diameter. In the central orifice in the top of the crown of the member 16, there is secured a tube 11 which extends upwardly toward but terminates short of the central orifice in the head 68. In the central orifice in the head 68 there is secured a tube 18 which extends downwardly and encircles and is separated from the upper end of the tube 11 by an annular aperture 19.

The compartment defined by the shell 61, its upper and lower heads and the tubes 11 and 18 is divided into chambers 80, 8| and 82 by partitions 83 and 84. The outer margin and inner edge of the partition 83 which is imperforate are secured, respectively, to the inner edge of the brim of the lower head of the shell 61 and to the tube 11. The outer margin and inner edge of the partition 84 are secured, respectively, in the joint between the shell 61 and its upper head and to the tube 18. The chamber 82 is connected to the chamber 8| by a tube 85 which extends through and is secured in an orifice in the partition 84. The chamber BI is connected to the duct defined by the tubes 11 and 18 through the .end wall of the cup-shaped member 89 with the outer margin of the inwardly stepped portion of the latter projecting into the space between the screens 81 and 88. The upper end of the filter element is seated against the brim of the member 18 with the upper ends of the screens 81 and 88 encircling and snugly embracing, respectively, the inner and outer risers in the brim and the inclined intermediate step in the brim projecting into the space between the screens. consequently, serve to hold the filter element 88 firmly in place with its inner wall separated from the crown of the former.

The silencer 85 and the outlet fitting 48 are assembled with the lower edge of the side wall of the body of the outlet fitting seated on the outer margin of the upper head of the silencer through the intermediary of sealing gasket 88 which is disposed in an annular channel in the upper head of the silencer so that the axes of the silencer and the outlet fitting are alined. The silencer, the outlet fitting and the cap 13 are held together by a thumbscrew 42 whose head is seated on the outer side of the end wall of the body of the outlet fitting and whose lower end is threaded into the stud I4 which is carried by the cap.

The modified forms of the assemblies shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5 which are shown in Figures 6, '7 and 8 do notdifi'er materially from the forms shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5 except in that they are equipped with outlet fittings of a different type and the upper ends of the silencers are modified to accommodate the different type of outlet fittings. To render it unnecessary to describe them again, there have been applied to the parts of the assemblies shown in Figures 6, 7 and 8 which do not differ materially from the corresponding parts of the assemblies shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5 the same reference characters. i

The outlet fittings 98 of the assemblies shown in Figures 6, '7 and 8 are made of sheet metal. Each consists of an elongated plate 9I with an orifice in it near each end and an element 92 shaped like an inverted shallow trough joined to the plate at its sides and ends so that it forms with it a fiattish duct. Each of the orifices in the plate 9I is encircled by a flange 93. Around one of the flanges 93 is sleeved and secured one end of a tube 94 whose other end is split and encircled by a ring clamp 95. The other of the flanges 93 is encircled by a flanged collar 98 which is secured to it.

In Figures 6 and 7, the heads of the silencers 45 and 85 which correspond to the heads 49 and 88 of the silencers shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5 are designated, respectively, by the reference characters 91 and 98; and the tubes which correspond to the tubes 5| and 18 are designated,

respectively, by the reference characters 99 and I88. The portions of the heads 91 and 98 next the tubes 99 and I88 are stepped downwardly below the upper ends of the tubes so that they define therewith annular channels I8I and I82 in which there are disposed sealing gaskets I83.

The steps in the members 18 and 89,

The outlet fittings 98 are assembled with the silencers 45 and which are shown in Figures 6 and 7 with the flanges 93 which are encircled by the collars 98 sleeved around the upper ends of the tubes 99 and I88 and the collars 98 seated on the gaskets I83. The outlet fittings 98 are secured to the silencers by thumbscrews 42 which are anchored in the manners shown in Figures 3 and 5.

The several air cleaner and silencer assemblies which are shown in the drawings were designed for installation on V-type internal combustion engines equipped with downdraft carburetors disposed between the two banks of cylinders with the collars 38, 58 and the tubes 94 telescoped around the upper ends of the air intake tubes of the carburetors and the assemblies disposed alongside the carburetors and supported by brackets I84 mounted on the engines and secured to the studs I8, I4. When one of the assemblies is installed in the manner described and the engine on which it is installed is operating, air is drawn, successively, through the air cleaner I8 or 88, the duct 34-35, 585I, 11-18, 58-99 or I'I-I88 of the silencer and the outlet fitting 21-29, 48 or 98 into the carburetor and cylinders of the engine. The air enters the assemblies shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6, through the annular apertures 23 in the air cleaners I8, passes around the lower outer edges of the filter elements I4 and then through the filter elements into the ducts of the silencers by way of the apertures between the lower heads 28 and 48 of the silencers and the upper walls of the filter elements. The air enters the assemblies shown in Figures 5, '7 and 8 through the orifices 18 in the cup-shaped members 89, passes through the filter elements 88 and then between the end walls of the cup-shaped members and the crown of the members 18 into the ducts of the silencers.

In the course of its passage through the air cleaners the air is freed of foreign matter. The chambers 31, 38, 53, 54, 88, 8| and 82 of the silencers constitute elements of resonators which are so tuned that they respond to and attenuate by resonance objectionable sound waves in the intake systems of the engines on which the assemblies are installed. The resonators (in conjunction, in the cases of the assemblies shown in Figures 1, 2, 5, 7 and 8, with the pads 33, 12 of sound absorbing material) eliminate the intake noises of the engine.

Disassembly of the assemblies shown in the drawings is easily effected by unscrewing the thumbscrews 42. In the case of the assembly shown in Figures 1 and 2, this operation permits separation not only of the silencer II and the air cleaner I8 but also of the body I2 and the filter element I4 of the air cleaner. In the cases of the assemblies shown in Figures 3, 4 and 6, this operation permits, in addition to separation of the silencers 45 and the air cleaners I8 and the bodies I2 and the filter elements I4 of the air cleaners, separation of the silencers and the outlet fittings 48 and 98. In the cases of the assemblies shown in Figures 5, 7 and 8, this operation permits separation of the outlet fittings 48 and 98 and the caps 13 from the silencers 85.

I claim:

In an appliance of the class disclosed: an air cleaner which includes an annular receptacle which constitutes a liquid reservoir, and an annular filter element which air enters through its underside and leaves through its upper side disposed within the annular receptacle and supported by its inner wall with its outer wall spaced from the outer wall of the annular receptacle to define a passage through which air is conducted from the atmosphere to the underside of the annular filter element i a silencer which includes a shell disposed generally vertically and Over the air cleaner with a concave lower end wall which is seated on the outer wall but spaced from the upper side of and constitutes a cover for the annular filter element and has in it an orifice through which air passes into the silencer from the space between the upper side of the annular filter element and the lower end wall of the silencer, an upper end wall with an orifice in it through which air leaves the appliance, and a duct through which air is conducted through the shell from the orifice in its lower end wall to the orifice in its upper end wall; an air outlet fitting with a downwardly opening air discharge orifice communicating with the orifice in the upper end wall of the silencer; and an element connected to the annular receptacle and the air outlet fitting and extending through the duct for securing the air cleaner, the silencer and the outlet fitting together.

BENJAMIN GRATZ BROWN.

- Patent NO. 2,215, 85-

Signed and sealed this 2 (Seal) CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

2nd day of July,

Page 5, first ad -2,22LL,172-;

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION. I Patent No. 2,215,0 5

M y 27,. 9h1,

' Henry Van Arsdale, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. f 

